REM’s Mike Mills: ‘We have zero plans to reform’

'The idea of not reforming is kind of attractive to us,' says bassist

R.E.M bassist Mike Mills has insisted the band have “zero” plans to reform.

The band called time on their 31-year career in September 2011 following the release of their 15th studio album ‘Collapse Into Now’, but released a special deluxe version of their 1988 album ‘Green’ to celebrate its 25th anniversary earlier this week.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, however, Mills was adamant that he and his bandmates are still not tempted to reunite in the future. “There were no real factors other than deciding it was time to break up,” he said. “There’s no drug abuse. There’s no in-fighting. There’s no legal problems. It was time to break up. That’s never really been done before.”

Advertisement

“The idea of breaking up and not reforming for a reunion tour is kind of attractive to us,” he added. “I doubt you’ll see us touring as REM again. On the other hand, I just played with Peter [Buck, guitarist] in New York City the other night, so fun things do happen.”

He then went on to say: “Absolutely nobody can predict the future. But right now, there are zero plans for an REM reunion. Absolutely zero. But the future is a strange place. We could all be hit by a meteor tomorrow, but I would consider it highly unlikely.”

REM released a public statement following their split saying they were “astonished at all we have accomplished” in a career that spanned over three decades but, since then, each member of the band has quashed hopes that they will reunite in the future.

Since going their separate ways, guitarist Peter Buck has debuted music he has made as a solo artist, with his debut track ’10 Million BC’ surfacing online in June of last year. Neither bassist Mike Mills or frontman Michael Stipe have followed suit, however, with the latter claiming it was “unfathomable” that he would want to embark on a solo career.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories